Upper Providence man headed to state prison for rash of burglaries

COURTHOUSE — A former Upper Providence man is headed to state prison for his role in a series of residential break-ins that apparently were fueled by his drug habit.

Justin Taylor Cox, 23, formerly of Hollow Road, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to two-to-four years in a state correctional facility, to be followed by three years’ probation, after he pleaded guilty to six felony counts of burglary in connection with the break-ins that occurred in Upper and Lower Providence townships between May and July 2012.

Two others charged in connection with the burglary spree, Raven Brooke Miller, 21, also of the Hollow Road address, and Julie Ann Warburton, 23, of Norristown, are still awaiting court action on burglary-related charges, according to court records.

Police alleged the trio admitted that during most of the burglaries, Warburton acted as the getaway driver while Cox and Miller would enter the residences, according to court documents.

“The group would then sell the stolen property and use the proceeds to purchase controlled substances,” Upper Providence Detective Raymond D. Bechtel III wrote in the arrest affidavit, alleging some of the suspects were known to be heroin users.

Judge Joseph A. Smyth, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, said Cox, who also listed an address in Bridgeport, is eligible for the state Department of Corrections’ Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive program, a sentencing tool to help offenders with drug problems kick the habits that lead them to commit crimes. Cox can reduce his minimum sentence to 18 months if he successfully completes all treatment recommendations.

The program, commonly referred to as “Triple R-I,” allows eligible non-violent offenders to receive reductions of their minimum state prison sentences if they successfully complete all required treatment and maintain good-conduct records in prison. Prisoners can be released upon completing the program only if officials are satisfied that the offenders pose no risks to public safety.

Typically, there must be evidence that the addictions are the prime motivating factors that led the offenders to commit crimes.

An investigation began in May when area police began noticing a rash of residential burglaries in the Upper and Lower Providence townships.

“These appeared to be serial burglaries where the method of operation, or MO, was similar and all shared the same common plan, scheme and design,” Bechtel alleged. “In all of the burglaries, jewelry was the predominant stolen item, along with other miscellaneous property.”

The burglaries occurred along Walnut Street, Port Providence Road, Egypt Road and Canal Street in Upper Providence and along Pawlings Road and West Mount Kirk Avenue in Lower Providence, according to the criminal complaint.

On July 13, Upper Providence police responded to a report of a burglary in progress at a Walnut Street residence at about 12:45 p.m. The homeowner returned home and confronted two males in the home, police alleged, and the males fled the home and got into a red Toyota Tercel.

Cox, Miller and Warburton were subsequently apprehended and interviewed by authorities and all three admitted to participating in all or some of the break-ins, according to the arrest affidavit. The investigation determined that the three suspects had been selling items, including jewelry, at various pawn shops in the region, according to court documents.

“Some of this property was subsequently confirmed to be stolen items from burglaries,” Bechtel alleged.